1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to tools for jewelry making and more specifically to tools for crimping wires together. The invention also relates to forming decorative or functional beads onto one or more wires for any purpose.
2. Background
Decorative beads are strung on cords or wires of various types to form products such as jewelry, fishing lures, and artwork. Once the beads are strung for jewelry making the end of the cord or wire is looped around an end piece, usually a portion of a jewelry fastener, and the cord or wire is crimped together using a crimping bead and a crimping tool. An example of such a crimping tool and method may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,843 to Bartky (Jun. 27, 1995). Bartky discloses a tool for radial compression of a ferrule onto wires using a two-step method. Bartky's tool has crimping dies that provide only radial compression. Consequently, Bartky's tool controls only the shape of the radial cross-section of the bead.
Beads used in making fishing lures conventional fit loosely on the shaft of a fish hook and are secured by bent wire or the curvature of the hook itself. Beads are used in artwork, including artwork for static display, such as wall hangings. Beads used for crimping may also have a purely functional purpose: joining two filaments.
Crimping tools currently available in the market produce functional but unattractive crimped beads. The beads are generally cylindrical, by virtue of being only radially compressed, and are shaped conformally to the wires. The crimped bead often appeals in stark contrast to the beauty of the beadwork it secures. Furthermore, current methods of crimping beads require repositioning the bead to a second crimping die in the tool. An additional disadvantage of some tools currently on the market is that it is available for only one size of wire. For example, a commercially available tool, used with a 0.014 inch diameter wire, does not crimp the wires tightly enough to prevent the wire from pulling loose. Many jewelry makers hold currently available devices in low regard because of difficulty of use.
Accordingly, there is a need for a tool that provides an axial as well as a radial bead-forming force. In addition, a bead-forming tool that is not limited to crimping wires together is also desired. For example, a tool for forming a bead fixedly on a single rigid wire, such as the shaft of a fish-hook, is desired. Furthermore, a tool that can provide various textures for beads is desired.